Narrative:

On 9/90, I was introduced to a student preparing for a commercial helicopter/rotocraft (additional) rating. I was to conduct a final flight check with the student in preparation for his FAA practical test. The student was a japanese national. His english was poor so instructions were given in a simplified format. (Ie, hover forward, stop, do you understand, etc). I briefed the student what the flight would encompass. I reviewed safety points and reminded the student that I would assist him as necessary. In addition, should I announce 'I have the controls' he shall relinquish the controls to me. The student's demonstration of automatic rotation to a power recovery did not meet commercial standards. I instructed the student to follow along with me on the controls as I demonstrated an automatic rotation with power recovery to a 3 ft hover. At altitude, I initiated the automatic rotation. During the descent I explained that portion of the maneuver. At the appropriate time I initiated a flare and power. I noticed a power lag and attempted to add additional power by use of the throttle; I leveled the aircraft and noted a heavy cyclic. The student's grip on the controls was interfering with my control inputs. I called for the student to release the controls. However, with the student on the controls and insufficient power required to complete the maneuver, landing was imminent. In the process some rotor RPM was lost. After landing, the main rotor blade flexed and struck the tail rotor. Contributing factors: some contributing factors which may have played a part in this incident: language and cultural differences hindered the learning process, and cockpit crew coordination. The student failed to follow instructions and relinquish the controls of the aircraft when directed to do so.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROTARY WINGED TFC INCIDENT AS ACFT DAMAGED WHEN TRAINING IN PROGRESS DETERIORATES DUE TO A LANGUAGE BARRIER PROBLEM.

Narrative: ON 9/90, I WAS INTRODUCED TO A STUDENT PREPARING FOR A COMMERCIAL HELI/ROTOCRAFT (ADDITIONAL) RATING. I WAS TO CONDUCT A FINAL FLT CHK WITH THE STUDENT IN PREPARATION FOR HIS FAA PRACTICAL TEST. THE STUDENT WAS A JAPANESE NATIONAL. HIS ENGLISH WAS POOR SO INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN IN A SIMPLIFIED FORMAT. (IE, HOVER FORWARD, STOP, DO YOU UNDERSTAND, ETC). I BRIEFED THE STUDENT WHAT THE FLT WOULD ENCOMPASS. I REVIEWED SAFETY POINTS AND REMINDED THE STUDENT THAT I WOULD ASSIST HIM AS NECESSARY. IN ADDITION, SHOULD I ANNOUNCE 'I HAVE THE CTLS' HE SHALL RELINQUISH THE CTLS TO ME. THE STUDENT'S DEMONSTRATION OF AUTO ROTATION TO A PWR RECOVERY DID NOT MEET COMMERCIAL STANDARDS. I INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH ME ON THE CTLS AS I DEMONSTRATED AN AUTO ROTATION WITH PWR RECOVERY TO A 3 FT HOVER. AT ALT, I INITIATED THE AUTO ROTATION. DURING THE DSCNT I EXPLAINED THAT PORTION OF THE MANEUVER. AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME I INITIATED A FLARE AND PWR. I NOTICED A PWR LAG AND ATTEMPTED TO ADD ADDITIONAL PWR BY USE OF THE THROTTLE; I LEVELED THE ACFT AND NOTED A HVY CYCLIC. THE STUDENT'S GRIP ON THE CTLS WAS INTERFERING WITH MY CTL INPUTS. I CALLED FOR THE STUDENT TO RELEASE THE CTLS. HOWEVER, WITH THE STUDENT ON THE CTLS AND INSUFFICIENT PWR REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE MANEUVER, LNDG WAS IMMINENT. IN THE PROCESS SOME ROTOR RPM WAS LOST. AFTER LNDG, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE FLEXED AND STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WHICH MAY HAVE PLAYED A PART IN THIS INCIDENT: LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES HINDERED THE LEARNING PROCESS, AND COCKPIT CREW COORD. THE STUDENT FAILED TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS AND RELINQUISH THE CTLS OF THE ACFT WHEN DIRECTED TO DO SO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.